When we knock on the door, Harper answers.
“Hey, come on in.” She smiles as if she’s actually happy to see us for once.
We all pile into her house. My immediate want is to corner Harper and kiss the hell out of her, but we have to be respectful young men tonight and not the hell-raisers we actually are.
Her cheeks are pink as her mom clears her throat. Ms. Davidson looks like an older version of Harper with a few differences. She’s still hot for an older woman.
“So,” Harper says, “this is Luke, Jack, Eli, and Caden.”
Wiping her hands on a towel, Ms. Davidson nods at us. She’s still got a suspicious glint in her eyes, but that tracks. After all, we’re a lot for most parents who knew us growing up. Plus, our interest in her daughter isn’t just friendly.
“It’s nice to put names to the faces since you seem to be everywhere now.”
“Mom.” Harper forces a quick smile. “Why don’t we go wait in the living room for dinner to be finished.”
“Can I help you with anything?” Jack steps away from us, farther into the kitchen. “You work with my mom, Dr. Cathy Hill.”
“Of course.” She smiles and gestures to the lettuce and vegetables. “You could start the salad. Your mother is a very talented doctor.”
Harper seems unsure what to do with the rest of us, so she leads us into the living room and sits in the chair, leaving us the couch. I give her the stink eye and for half a second consider lifting her and putting her on my lap, but I figure that will get everyone mad at me. Instead, I sit next to Eli on the couch.
“How was practice?” Harper asks. She fidgets with her fingers and glances toward her mom and Jack every few seconds. They talk quietly in the kitchen.
“Good.” Eli smiles and leans back on the couch. “Did you figure out the problem in physics?”
Eli keeps the conversation flowing with class questions. Honestly, I don’t know if Harper has any hobbies or what the girl does for fun. It feels like she just sparked into existence this year, but that’s not the case.
We don’t know much about her except the obvious. She watches zombie movies and shows. Takes art class. And the dance thing Jack found.
Normally I don’t like to get to know girls, but it seems like if we’re keeping Harper for a year, we should probably know more about her.
I glance around the room and my gaze stops on a photo collage of Harper through the years. Pictures from when she was a baby with a big grin and no hair. Pictures of a toddler with pigtails and that same impish grin. A little older Harper with a group of friends at a park.
Before I can get up to see if I recognize anyone, Harper’s mom comes out of the kitchen and clears her throat. “Everything’s ready.”
We all stand. “What should we call you, Ms. Davidson?” The words pop out of my mouth.
“Oh.” Harper’s mom’s face flushes. “You can call me Jennifer.”
The back door opens, and Kenz stumbles in holding a half-dozen balloons and a large present. “Sorry I’m late. Do you know how hard it is to drive with balloons in the back of your car?”
Harper grins and steps forward to take the balloons. “Thanks, Kenz.”
Kenz puts the gift on the entry table and faces all of us. “You guys again. Jeez, H, you sure you don’t have boyfriends?”
Harper laughs awkwardly and grabs Kenz’s arm. “That’s so not funny.”
“It totally is. Maybe not to you, but if this shit were happening to me, you’d be laughing your ass off,” Kenz says, low enough I can hear but I doubt Jennifer can.
“Boyfriend or not, these guys helped Harper out and we’re feeding them.” Jennifer gestures to the table and the island. “Sorry, we don’t normally have a lot of people over for dinners.”
“No worries.” Jack takes one of the bar stools. Eli and I take the others.
Glaring at me, Luke sits at the table with the girls. Serves the fucker right. He acts like Harper is his. He can pretend to be the boyfriend tonight.
Harper
When I sit next to Mom, Kenz sits opposite me instead of beside me. I shoot her an annoyed look as Luke takes the chair next to me. It’s not like I can be sassy or catty to the guys in front of my mother. She already has enough questions about what’s happening in my life.
